The First Step
Draco let out a low sigh, cracked his neck, then muttered an indiscernible incantation. He felt the familiar Magic bubbling just underneath his skin. Tinkling warmth. The heady pull to the ground, as his body shrunk and shifted into cat!form.
He looked at his reflection in the storm door.
Fluffy. Neat fur. Big, sad, round, grey eyes. Perfect.
He winked at himself.
[Image: A white and grey kitten winks.]
So fucking handsome. How could Granger not forgive him? Okay, now or never.
His cat paws were trembling, but he took one more steadying breath.
[Image: Close up of two white fluffy paws. Implied: Cat!Draco's paws tipping and tapping.]
He pawed at the glass.
[Image: Cat!Draco pawing at the storm door of Hermione's flat.]
Hermione walked toward the commotion at her front door. She looked through the peep hole.
[Image: A grey cat smiles through a peephole.]
Hermione dropped her hot coffee on her bare foot. "Fuck! Shite. Motherfucker! Fucky toads! That smarts."
While still wincing, she flung open the door.
[Image: A white cat with a red ballon looks through a door.]
"What are you doing here?", she asked, rubbing her foot in her hand. Her hair was wild and uncombed. She was wearing her holey pyjamas that Cat!Draco both adored and hated. They were so ugly.
And so soft.
He often spent hours curled around her chest.
[Video: Cat!Draco sleeping on Hermione's chest.]
Meow, he said softly, curling a tail around her one ankle.
She melted a little, but retained the stiff, upper lift the Daily Prophet loved to make fun of.
Hermione the Harpy, Skeeter dubbed her.
"This won't be solved with a cheap balloon."
Meow. Meow.
"You lied to me. A lie of omission is still a lie."
Cat!Draco yowled.
"It doesn't matter if you're sorry. How could I ever trust you again?"
MEOW!
"You better say something."
Meow!
"You know I can't understand what you say."
MEOW. MEOW. MEOW. MEOW. MEOW. MEOW.
Cat!Draco sent bullet after bullet of yowls at her. He was overwhelmed with cat!emotion and had nowhere to dispel it. With no warning, he nibbled at her ankle in an act of frustration and cute aggression.
"Ouch, you little shit—UGH!!! Well fuck you too." Hermione took out her wand and aimed at the balloon.
POP!
"There, limp and ineffectual. Like you." She crossed her arms smugly, then slammed the door in Cat!Draco's face.
His inner spoiled rich boy wanted to snarl at her, but he swallowed it down.
This was fine. It was just a setback. He had other tricks up his sleeve. He would win Granger over somehow.